Medical devices may be implanted in a subcutaneous pocket to support sensing intrinsic physiological electrical activity, delivering a therapeutic stimulus to patient tissue, or providing other therapy to specific treatment sites. For example, a pulse generator may be implanted in a subcutaneous pocket in a patient's chest, with one or more electrical leads extending from the pulse generator to treatment sites within the patient.
Implanting a medical device within a patient exposes the patient to a risk of a nosocomial (e.g., hospital-acquired) infection associated with bacteria adhering to the exterior of the medical device when it is placed within the subcutaneous pocket, causing a pocket infection. For example, the average nosocomial infection rate associated with the implantation of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices in 2008 was approximately 2.4 percent. In some cases of infection, the implantable medical device, including the device housing and any associated electrical leads, must be completely removed. Following removal, the infection must be cured and the patient must heal enough to tolerate implantation of a replacement medical device. The costs of such infections may be significant, not only intrinsically, but also in terms of the physical and emotional stress suffered by the patient.
What is needed is a way to reduce the occurrence of infections which may result from implanting a medical device within a patient.